What is Love?
by Sealing Mistress
Summary: Mad Mad world, I live in a world where demons existed and human sacrifice was needed. I am Uzumaki Naruto, a sacrifice for the Nine tail fox, hated from those who live around me. Mad Mad world, what a lovely place to be; love is what everyone wants but... What is love? and who is this man who looks like me?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Good day everyone. I hope you have read through the summary clearly because i don't any flames for the first part.

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**Prologue: That 'incident'**

A young child that roams in the streets…he looks for hope that will light this mad world. Clutching tightly on a loaf of bread that his small body shielded; scratches, bruises and scars covered his tiny body. Thin like paper was this small child, it was truly amazing that a small child could survive like this. Clothes too big for his age, hanging down helplessly, a red collar strap around his neck like an animal and everywhere he goes, crimson red blood follows him and tracks the way he goes.

'_Humans, humans who do you think you are?'_

I ask myself, watching from the clouds. I spotted a group of red and orange splotches running around like a pack of dogs along the black road. I could hear them yelling and shouting with endless madness and fury. I closed my eyes for a few seconds then opened them. The red splotches were surrounding something that was very small, a dull yellow splotch... The reds forced the yellow towards a small house in the far west.

'_Interesting what these humans do.'_

Elegantly, I step down from my home and enter the world of humans, looking just like them - a human.

I was dressed as a villager; wearing dull brown clothes was the best.

I travel down to where this dull yellow thing was taken away. I could hear screaming and thrashing, as I make my way through the forest.

A group of human surrounds the area, they have caught him…

* * *

_A silver snake tangled by my throat_

_Slips beside my skin and wrapped inside my coat_

_Keeps me so still at night_

_Makes sure I lose every fight_

_The clasp with its forked tongue_

_Pushing taunts in every side_

_No matter where I try to run_

_There no way that I can hide_

_Each link burrows into my skin_

_The silver hisses as I struggle_

_It laughs as I lie in pain_

_Exhausted from the strain_

_It keeps me but does not hurt me_

_Only your fists can damage me so_

_Can pound me till I lie_

_I'm almost dead with nowhere to go._

_Thrash by the whip so many times._

_Blood flows out of my limbs and encircle a large pool._

_I could hear them jeer and shouted hooray._

_Mad, mad world…_

_What a lovely horrific place to be._

I could hear talking and mumbling…

"Let's just kill the demon already"

"Chop off his head!"

"No! Stab the demon's heart if he even has one!"

A roar of laughter followed from this man's comment.

"Rip him into pieces and sell his limbs!"

"How about we make him blind so he can never be a ninja, and when the time is right we kill him!" Another man roared savagely.

I gasped out loudly as those people excitedly whip me once across my bare chest, _twice, thrice..._ I ignore the pain; I was too shocked and numbed at what these people were doing to me.

They laughed some more, and asked me a question. "Do you like it?" They sneered.

Before I could answer, the man holding the whip cracked it harder against my pale and bloodied chest, all the pain combined suddenly hitting me. I screamed out loudly and violently thrash against my chains, I could feel warm liquid running down my face and onto my bare skin. I wanted to use my hands and cover the pain but they were restrained by the chains. I could do nothing, but watch helplessly as they torture me and enjoy it…

Suddenly, something warm and hot bubbled within the room. I felt like my body was being possessed by its own mind, I was already up to my limit and was almost going to faint from the pain and exhaustion I had to endure; but my body didn't give up.

The chains that held me in place were suddenly gone. I could move freely now but I didn't have the energy left. After a few minutes, I fell down to a group full of bloody people who had missing limbs – they were all unconscious or otherwise dead. I scrambled up to my feet and ran for it immediately, away from that hell. Everything was black and dark; I kept on bumping and scraping into rough and hard surfaces that might have been trees…

_Into the forest, into the safe and forgiving night…away, away from those people…_

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_**[Insert Naruto Shippuden OST Kaii]**_

'_These horrible humans_' I thought, moving closer to the worthless bodies.

"How sad and miserable, how strange and terrible…" I said slowly, ramming a kick at one of the men in the stomach. The man spitted out blood, and cocked his head painfully to look at me.

"H-How dare you k-kick me?" He threatened pathetically, spitting out more blood. His hands enwrapped around his stomach to where I kicked it.

I laughed then smirked at the man. "How weak you humans are…" I replied. "Such a young boy, and he was already made a target." I sighed, shaking my head. Walking away from the man and his cowering group, I turned back and smiled at the man who still dared to glare at me.

"Don't worry, you will never go to Heaven with that kind of soul, you can go to Hell where you belong instead." I told him before leaving in a flash.

I again crashed into a tree, I could hear people screaming bloody murder and yelling frantically - ninjas moving and people gathering.

I stopped running; I could feel my ragged breathing, the trees rustling their fallen leaves in my direction. I fell back onto soft grass; I have already reached my limit.

My body won't listen to me anymore but I was glad that I couldn't hear anymore voices from those people; everything was still dark and scary. I wanted to see the stars that pierce the gloomy sky and the lovely nature, but I cannot see it. I started to cry but intense pain follow as the tears came, but I didn't mind… I just wanted to express my feelings into this empty world.

"Maybe, Dog-neesan is going to take me back." I wondered, feeling the wind brush against my tender wounds…

I met him since I moved into my apartment. Usually I would catch him cleaning my room, fixing the door, shopping for vegetables, choosing my clothes…and attacking people when someone tries to harm the village. He was someone like a guardian.

I flexed my arms; I could feel the chains attached to the shackles. I moved it to touch my leg and my neck; it was the same, but the red ribbon that was usually there was gone.

I laughed abruptly at a certain memory…

I was sitting in my bed while Dog-neesan was wrapping bandages around my leg. _"Thanks Dog-neesan…"_ I mumble embarrassingly, scratching my cheeks. He grunted something incoherent and finished wrapping the final strip. Standing up, he began to walk away, but then turned and looked back at me with a troubled expression.

"Naruto...Why do you have a collar on you?" he asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Collar?" I asked back with a confused face.

He walked towards me and sat next to me and tugged the ribbon.

"_Ohh…_that. I had a fight with someone at my class, and he slashed me in the neck with _k..."_ I stopped; I didn't want to continue on…

Dog-neesan nodded, "So you want to cover it?"

"Pretty much…" I muttered.

"Why didn't you show me? It might get infected!"

I blinked and stared at the floor.

_"Do you…care…for me?"_ I asked slowly, silence filling the room like veil. "_I mean like_...a demon shouldn't be loved or taken care of…I should be d-"

I was cut off when Dog- neesan patted me on the head…

"You shouldn't talk like your some animal, you are human… Of course I would care for you." Dog-neesan's voice had a special gentleness to it as he spoke, he grunted gruffly and rubbed my hair some more.

My eyes widened in astonishment, and tears came down my face.

'_I was a human…' _I thought...

Dog-neesan was taken aback a bit by my open display of weakness, he told me not to cry anymore before tucking me to sleep…

"Keep strong, Naruto…" He said to me…_the memory fading to black…_

I smiled gently at the memory then finally fainted from the sadness and exhaustion… I could barely hear the yelling and the shouting on the background – they were closer now.

Someone nearby picked me up and held me like a newborn pup…

"_Who-who are you?" _I mumbled tiredly…My eyes fighting to open…

_"Shh Naruto…Dog-neesan is here… Everything is going to be alright, so just relax…"_

I nodded for the last time as I felt strong hands tuck me in…closer to Dog-neesan's warm chest… It was the closest thing to home, to be beside him…

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The demon that Naruto held trapped inside growled slightly before swishing its 9 tails back and forth.

**"Now the kid is going to be an easy target…that I cannot allow."**

Kyuubi released a miniscule fraction of his chakra out of the cage, the hot wave of red chakra disappearing out of the dank and lightless room…

**"That should suffice for now."**

The Kyuubi yawned, baring its great fangs before falling back to deep slumber...

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A/N: I hope you the enjoy this 'short' chapter which is the prologue. Review will be gladly accepted and flames will not accepted.

I would love to thank my beta-reader (PurpleVolin) and my adviser (I cannot tell)


	2. Chapter 2

_I am cold…_

_I am hurt…_

_I am lonely…_

_..._

The sky's wet tears dropped down heavily as I ran away from the terror.

My feet slapping harshly against the cold stone path as I hurry down away from that terror…

I ran as fast as my little legs can carry me… I could hear them coming closer towards me; my muscles tugging tautly beneath my cold skin as I ran faster and faster.

Running was my only choice. If I didn't, I would be brought down again. I quickly ran through a small gap between the wooden houses, I had to bite my tongue as a sharp pain hissed from my left leg.

I walked down carefully through the main gloomy stone path; it was depressing. A woeful sky lurks above my blond messy head, the tear of Kami drips downwards through my face and into the ground...

I made my way towards through the streets of Konoha, everyone was staring daggers behind my back – their hate-filled eyes sharpened the bite of the freezing rain and wind through my bones, but I had to stay strong. I didn't look back at any one of them as I looked only at my destination... I ran stronger towards it as a small flicker of hope ignited in my chest…

"_Yosh_, no one is here…" I whispered as I entered the cemetery. I didn't expect any one at all to come here, especially during this harsh weather, but I wanted to make sure no one was here but of me…

My destination was the cemetery every night; but I was a bit late today... For some reason, this place makes me feel warm despite people's beliefs... I bent down and read one particular tombstone, my muddy fingers streaking through the rain-soaked stone.

_"Nami-ka-ze..Mina-to…"_ I pronounced delicately. Brushing the carving in the stone, a small wind picks up through the freezing rain and blows my hair away from my face…

I left after I stayed overnight by this stone…staying there for hours as I contemplated my bleak future… Finally as the early sun peaked through the sleepy clouds, I stood up and went for the academy…

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A flash of white light went off in a deserted clearing, leaving a figure lying prone on the ground. The figure groaned and got up, revealing a very bedraggled Minato. The blond father tried to get up and winced as a sharp pain stabbed through his body. His body felt numb, but that didn't stop his whole body from protesting in pain. The ex-Hokage took careful examination of his surroundings, noting that he was somewhere in the forest that outskirts Konoha. He managed to prop himself up and stood up shakily, his legs quivering from the strain.

"_Ugh…_ How did I get here?" he groaned. "Why am I here?"

_"Namikaze Minato…."_A voice rang out through the clearing.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Minato shouted determinedly, glancing around furiously.

_"I am…someone who wants to help you..."_ The voice stopped for a minute before continuing, _"...Your son is in danger, and those whom you have trusted have done something to him that has affected his mind and soul. The pure blood runs in his veins and it goes darker, his soul becoming corrupted... I am granting you a second chance to change your son. Change him, and then you will return to where you really belong… "_The voice echoed hauntingly around the clearing before disappearing like a mirage.

Minato's eyes widened, as many terrible thoughts came to his mind. He looked down at his body and examined that he looked the same as he had when he had died, which must have been some time ago already...

He leaned against a tree for support before staggering away, set on finding Hiruzen-sama or at least the new Hokage for some answer.

"My son… My son is in...danger"

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**Naruto's POV**

As silent as a ghost, I open the classroom door. I silently made my way to my desk and slumped down. Today I was early.

Even if I was late, no one would want to be by my side. Quietly, I twirl my pencil in my fingertips, drawing kanji in my book. It was empty and quiet, but later, my sensei will tell me off and will force me to stand outside, where the other teachers would glare at me, until they think I could disappear away from the face of the world… It was the same thing every morning…

I stifled a yawn, my stomach grumbling in hunger. I grimaced as I clutched my aching belly… "Don't worry belly-chan! You'll get ramen later… _Owie, owie…gomen…"_I groaned, banging my head in my table. I forgot both breakfast and dinner…

Suddenly the classroom door rustled…

I heard someone coming in, and I looked at him in recognition… This person is like me – _reserved and alone_, there stood

Uchiha Sasuke.

In other people's perspective, Sasuke is the prodigious remaining son of the once honored Uchiha Clan. He is talented in almost every subject we learned in class. He has a family and he was always praised by being the best in what he does, mostly by Iruka-sensei. But to me, I see a vulnerable and lonely kid - just like anyone would be, when people only notice your looks and talents and nothing more. He was a kid whose world would be completely destroyed if his family were to ever go away…

I tightened my right hand into a fist… _'Family'_, what was that word to me?

I ignored him staring at me for a second; Sasuke went and took a seat in front of me. I saw his face but I couldn't see his eyes because they were covered behind his bangs. I notice some shiny streaks on his face which only means that…he was _crying,_ but why? This was the first time…

Suddenly the door open and an army of children barged into the classroom with the sensei behind the bustling flock. As usual, all my classmates would avoid the table I sat in and the table behind me or any of the tables by my sides. One girl crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out to me as she passed by my row.

"Sasuke-kun… Why are you sitting in front of that _baka Naruto?_C'mon you shouldn't sit with him! Sit with us…" The girl dreamily sighed and flipped her long black hair behind her shoulders.

"Leave me alone." Sasuke mumbled emotionlessly – his eyes still hidden by a curtain of his jet-black hair.

The girl immediately had tears in her eyes and cried as she ran towards her circle of friends – all of them cooing and purring their words of meaningless comfort.

I rolled my eyes and caught Iruka-sensei glaring at me; I turned away quickly, avoiding eye contact with the man…and he proceeded to ramble on about shurikens and kunai knives for today's lesson…

_Both of us that morning equally waited. In class no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept quiet for another day… Knowing which leads to what way; I doubted if I should ever come back…_

At lunch, I kept picturing all of the kids in Konoha playing a fun game in a big field of endless golden wheat stalks, glowing bright by the sunlight. There were dozens of cheerful and laughing kids, and they were all willing to play with me – they were happy even. It was like a dream come true to me, to be happy, to enjoy myself, to have fun and to be free like a bird. I swing my feet in the air as they pushed me back and forth in a swing set through the cool breeze... I sighed deeply…

My stomach growled out all of a sudden, saying _'I am hungry, go eat something or else you'll die'_.

I frowned; my dream world was shattered, and the reality of my life bled through again.

I wasn't allowed to eat in any restaurant except for this one ramen place; although I was still charged a higher price rate than normal. I can't go shopping either; I was kicked out of every shop, so the only thing I could buy was cup ramen from the ramen place, so basically I was living on a ramen and water diet.

I abandoned my seat from beneath the shady tree, and head towards my favorite place, the cemetery. I forgot about my hunger for awhile, and couldn't wait to be within that silent and safe sanctuary – a place where I can belong. Who says only the dead got rest there?

**Kakashi's POV**

I sighed again as the door didn't budge, I stood back a few meters before kicking the door wide open. A flourish of dust and wood shavings from the door came and immediately greeted me; thank goodness I had my mask to cover it all up out of my nose… Unfortunately my eyes weren't too lucky though…

"That was the fifth time I had to do that" I stated, rubbing my eyes from the irritation. I walked slowly into the cramped apartment room. The floorboards groaned loudly with each of my step, the curtains were shut closed, and piles of ramen cups were littered everywhere. "When was the last time he cleaned the place?" I asked myself tiredly.

I quickly started to clean the small apartment to get it over with, as today was my duty to 'take care' of Naruto.

I am Hatake Kakashi, Konoha ANBU captain.

No one else wanted to take care of the 'demon', so the Hokage had to assign me, a private ANBU captain, to be his caretaker for awhile and guard him of his every move. I was completely infuriated from the fact that the nearly the whole village couldn't even use their eyes to see that Naruto was just a damn kid. They think of him, and only see the demon that he holds. Those bastards couldn't even understand that if Naruto was a demon then this village would be dead already.

I sighed through my mask, drying the last plate until it sparkles like the windows I had just polished. After cleaning everything, I took a look at the room; the old apartment looking much cleaner than when I first entered it an hour ago. Earlier, it looked more like a junkyard bombarded with Ramen cups, now at least the homely presence was back again.

_[Insert Naruto Shippuden OST 2 Samidare]_

"If only sensei was here, Naruto wouldn't have to live like this…" I said softly, leaning back on the counter. As I scanned the quaint place, my eyes caught a small piece of red paper sticking out underneath the bed. I trotted over and peered in, a small brown box was hidden beneath some clothes. I slipped my arm inside to grab it; gently I placed it over the bed and opened the lid. There were 3 scrolls neatly packed inside. I picked up the red scroll with whirlpool swirls drawn everywhere and I unfurled the scroll which contained the heartfelt content set from within…

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_Hi Mum, hi Dad! How are you?_

_I am sad today…sad because I don't know where you are and sad because I can't see you anymore... But I was always imagining Mummy to be this beautiful babe! Hehe! And Dad to be this big macho man! Anyway, Grandpa told me how you guys died, and it was because of the Kyuubi attack on the village. That bastard! But he also told me that you two were heroes to the village – you protected it as best as you can and that's why I'm safe and so is everyone else! Thank you Mum and Dad for saving Konoha! And the fourth Hokage was a hero to! So I'm going to thank him after school on the cemetery!_

_I felt really happy cuz Grandpa told me that you loved me even if when I was still so small inside Mummy's stomach (how did I get in there? =O_O=). Old man told me that Daddy also loved me, and he loved Mummy very much to, which makes me even happier! I wonder what it would have been like if Mummy and Daddy were still here…being a family where Mummy can tuck me in and make delicious ramen, while Daddy trains me powerful ninjutsus everyday! Old man once said "Being in a family means you are part of something very wonderful. It means you will be loved and be accepted for the rest of your life…" When he said that I thought of Mummy and Daddy who loved me and accepted me…_

_I really wish that you could stay with me here and go to the park with me… Mum, Dad, w-w-we can have a picnic! Like what the other families does. It will be so much fun! I'd like ramen on it of course and that's it! It would be a 'Ramen Picnic'! Hehe! I get excited thinking about it!_

_But it bothers me…what the villagers say… They say I can't go out and have picnics like them because I am a demon._

_Am I, Mummy…Daddy?_

_They say 'Demons will never be loved. But Grandpa told me you loved me… I don't know…what to do anymore… It hurts so much to smile when I am in pain. I want them to love me and accept me to. I can never be normal, because they keep saying I was a 'Demon', and 'Demons' are full of hatred and anger… But I don't feel that, I feel lonely and all alone… I just want someone to be with me… To hold me, and say…'I love you', that's all…_

_I can't smile anymore without feeling any pain, but it was never your fault. I don't blame you, I just want to able to love you._

_It was the Kyuubi right? If I could only see you again, I would be the happiest person. I love you and thank you for being able to be your son =^_^=_

_I hope you can read this message._

_With all of my love,_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

I stared at the letter for a long time, and gave a sad smile… '_This boy…He will be the light to all of our darkness…_' I thought sorrowfully, gently tucking the scroll away inside the box, and burrowing the box back to where I found it.

I left the apartment quickly, with the squeaky door fixed and firmly locked.

_"Maybe…I'll… go and visit sensei's grave…"_

A gust of wind blew past me, and I felt like it was his approval for me to do so…

**Naruto's POV**

I decided to appear back at period 6 since it was only about simple sealing techniques.

Out of all the subjects I did at the academy, I was only good at sealing jutsus, which was the hardest jutsus to learn Iruka sensei said. I chuckled quietly as I peered into my class…

"They laugh at me because I suck at genjutsu, taijutsu and ninjutsu, but they're completely pathetic at fūinjutsu, which I'm good at." I said with a smirk.

Quick as an orange flash, I ran with all my might towards Training Field 3. As soon as I got there, I ran in the open field. The children everywhere in the field dispersed like locusts and fled behind the forest.

"Look out everyone, because I'm here to be a hero!" I shouted in the wide empty area, and I closed my eyes slowly. The wind blew through my blonde hair, as the children cowered back at the trees, murmuring curses and bad things about me…slowly I opened my eyes…

_Deep crimson eyes like blood ran through my veins. My pupils were jet black slits and my skin was hot to the touch. When I was first born into this cruel world, I had blue eyes and tan skin but ever since that incident I became tied to another fate…_

**I am Uzumaki Naruto, the Demon of Konoha.**

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**Authors Notes. **

Thank you for reading :) and thank you my Beta-Reader and Adviser. Reviews will appreciate and Flames will not appreciate if you have a problem with my fanfic, please stop reading this and read something else. Thank you.

~Sealing Mistress.


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